From trash collector to technician: A life-changing 24 hours
A twist of fate helps a Boeing employee realize his full potential and problem-solving powers.
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Delorean Andrews needed a paycheck — fast.
Accepted to electrician school after moving to Philadelphia, he realized he needed a source of income.
An aircraft enthusiast, Delorean Andrews stands by a 1916 Biplane at New Garden Flight School, Pennsylvania, where he currently works toward his pilot’s license. (Benni Black photo)
He headed to an employment center and took the first job available — as a trash collector.
“I hoped to be the best employee in all of Philadelphia,” he said. “Even if that meant collecting trash.”
He planned to leave the train station by 3 a.m. the next day. New to Philadelphia, he didn’t know the train station would be closed.
“I hopped on the first train I could and called the trash company multiple times to explain the situation,” Andrews said. “Long story short, I was hired and fired within 24 hours.”
Discouraged, he sat down and put his hands in his pockets. That’s when he noticed the business card he’d been handed at the employment center.
On it, he found information about a job fair happening that day where companies — like Boeing — recruited candidates.
“I stared at the card and asked myself, ‘Do I sit here and mope? Or do I get on the next train and go to the job fair?’”
Andrews got on the train.
Inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, Delorean Andrews will soon earn his private pilot’s license as part of the Boeing Employees Flying Association. (Courtesy Delorean Andrews)
Solving problems at work
Hired as an entry-level sheet metal assembler at Boeing, Andrews worked his way up. Today, he’s an instrumentation technician for the MH-47G program. He plays a critical role in providing state-of-the-art aircraft to the U.S. Special Operations Command, and he directly supports the Block II program, which provides a more sophisticated and capable Chinook to special operators.
To get here, he used Boeing’s tuition assistance program to further his education.
“That day on the train, I realized something about myself,” Andrews said. “I don’t wallow. I fix things.”
Andrews was the first instrumentation electrician to receive the Modern-Day Technology Leader award for promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in his community. (BEYA photo)
It’s a trait that makes Andrews perfect for his job.
“I deal with electrical testing, and often testing fails — that leads to troubleshooting,” he explained.
“I’m in the right role for how my mind works. I can see problems that are otherwise invisible.”
Solving problems in his community
Andrews’ need to solve problems doesn’t end at work.
Growing up in what he describes as a crime-infested, violent area of Miami with a single grandmother, he knows what it means to struggle.
He also knows people are resilient.
“I want to be a mentor — especially for young Black men,” he said. “I want to be what I never had.”
Andrews started his own organization, “Release the Brakes.”
“The name essentially means stop holding yourself back,” he said. “The simplest things keep you from reaching your potential. I realized young men in my community didn’t know how to knot a tie for a job interview. I teach a whole class on that.”
He gives partial scholarships out of his own pocket, holds a sneaker drive every year and partners with his orthodontist to offer free services to kids in need.
“I know I can’t solve every problem,” he said. “But I’ll start with my corner of the world. One act of kindness can spread like wildfire.”
Solving for success
In addition to his day job, Andrews is on track to receive his private pilot’s license.
Inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, Delorean Andrews will soon earn his private pilot’s license as part of the Boeing Employees Flying Association. (Courtesy Delorean Andrews)
“I didn’t know the life I have today was even possible,” he said. “Now I get to show others that success is an option — no matter where you come from.
“It’s not always easy. But it’s always worth it.”
By Sarah Flowers
